The invention generally relates to a lacing system for footwear of the type having eyelets through which a lace is passed and subsequently secured for purposes of retaining the footwear in snug engagement with a wearer's foot.
In a typical footwear lacing system, rows of eyelets of circular configuration are disposed along opposite sides of a slot, which is provided in an upper of the footwear and arranged to extend rearwardly of a toe portion of the footwear in overlying relation to a tongue. A lace of desired cross section, such as round, oval or rectangular, is threaded through the eyelets typically from a point adjacent the toe portion and finally tied in a knot at a point typically adjacent the upper foot to maintain a desired tension in the lace and resultant snugness of the footwear against a wearer's foot.
A problem with this typical system is that portions of the lace crisscrossing between the rows of eyelets apply pressure to discrete portions of the tongue, which prove uncomfortable to the wearer whenever tension applied to the lace exceeds some predetermined value, depending for instance upon the degree of padding of the tongue. A further problem with the typical lacing system is that laces are time consuming to tie, tend to loosen over time and tend to so reduce diameter under stress as to cut into hands during tightening.
Certain problems encountered with a typical lacing system are overcome in part by lacing systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,150,949 and 4,592,154, wherein flat lace elements of rectangular cross section serve to spread pressure forces, applied to the tongue, over a greater area in order to minimize discomfort to a wearer. These patents also seek to avoid the problems associated with tying of a lace by providing a fastener or fasteners for releasable connecting opposite ends of the lace. These lacing systems do not appear to enjoy wide commercial use and there appears to be a continuing need for an improved lacing system for flat or rectangular cross section lace elements.